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This lesson will focus on the Confucianism of Korea and Japan. In doing so, it will highlight the importance of the Five Key Relationships and filial piety. It will also explore the role feudalism played in the development of Japanese Confucianism.
Click Five Key Relationships
When discussing Confucianism's influence in Korea and Japan, it's important to understand the emphasis that Confucianism places on human relationships. Unlike most Western religions, Confucianism does not teach the worship of any particular deity. Instead, it focuses more on human behavior, causing many scholars to consider it more of an ethical system or a code of conduct rather than a religion. Rather than focusing on the attributes of a deity, Confucianism focuses on human behavior, especially in the realm of human relationships. In its ideal sense, a person practicing Confucianism will seek to always act honorably in all his relationships. This is especially important in what Confucianism calls the Five Key Relationships, which are the relationship of ruler to subject, father to son, husband to wife, elder to younger, and friend to friend. It is this emphasis on relationships that has had a huge impact on the cultures of Korea and Japan. However, as is usually the case with religion and culture, each country has sort of put their own spin on this ancient faith. Korean ConfucianismConfucianism has profoundly impacted the structure of Korean society. In fact, although both North and South Korea have in many ways become modernized, Confucianism's influence still remains extremely strong in these lands, especially when it comes to the Five Key Relationships of Confucianism, specifically those dealing with the family. Filial PietyWith such a great focus on these family relationships, Korean Confucianism is full of rituals which are meant to uphold and strengthen the family. The most important of these is the ritual of filial piety, or deep respect of one's elders. However, going way further than what we in the West would call respect, filial piety is deeply ingrained. It's a hierarchical system of family governance in which the elderly outrank the young. Even more odd to our Western paradigm, the ritual of filial piety applies to both the living and the dead. With this in mind, many consider filial piety to be ancestor worship or ancestor veneration. In this practice, sacrifices are very regularly made to one's deceased relatives in order to not only commemorate them but also to communicate and care for them. This deep respect for the elderly also seeps into outside relationships and everyday activities, making Korea a very formal society. For instance, a Korean person will seldom if ever address an elderly person by their first name. In fact, most Koreans use Mr. or Mrs. when addressing anyone outside their families. Also, bowing to one another is the customary Korean greeting. Japanese ConfucianismLike that of Korea, Japanese Confucianism also places a very high value on relationships. However, whereas Korean Confucianism seems to place the highest importance on family ties or filial piety, Japanese Confucianism has historically emphasized the ruler-to-subject relationship. Many scholars believe this emphasis on the ruler-subject relationship was born from ancient Japan's feudal system of governance in which power was based on land ownership. In this system, the feudal lords were seen as the supreme authority over those they ruled. Nothing less than complete dedication and unquestioning obedience was tolerated. here to edit. MONDAY HOMEWORKTUESDAY CLASSWORK INDEPENDENT PRACTICE /
HOW TO MAKE A TWO-SIDED BROCHURE WITH GOOLE DOCS
Japan: History and Culture
Japan is a country spread over more than 3,000 islands. The islands stretch for more than 1,200 miles. People have lived on them for thousands of years, perhaps as far back as 30,000 b.c. These Stone Age people probably came from nearby China and Korea. The waters that surround Japan have protected it from invaders. Unlike China and India Japan has never been conquered by foreign armies. Yet these same waters brought ideas to Japan from Korea and China. The Japanese changed these ideas to fit their own way of life. This resulted in a unique Japanese culture. The Japanese adopted the Chinese system of writing. This allowed them to read Chinese system of writing. This allowed them to read Chinese books about medicine, mathematics, and science. The Japanese copied Chinese art and literature, wore Chinese clothing, and used the Chinese calendar. For a time, the Japanese adopted the Chinese civil service. Later, they changed this system so that nobles rather than scholars, ran the government. The religion born in Japan is Shinto. Historians do not know who founded it. It has no holy books like the Vedas, the Bible, or the Quran. Shinto followers love nature and worship kami, or spirits. They believe that these kami control the forces of nature. The word Shinto means "words of the gods". The Japanese people worship thousands of gods and spirits. The goddess of the sun is the most important Shinto god. In fact, the Japanese call their country Nippon, which means " source of the sun." The royal family of Japan traces its ancestors back to Jimmu. According to myth, Jimmu was the founder of Japan. The Japanese believe that he was connected in some way to the sun goddess. Until the end of World War II, they thought that their emperor was a god. In 600, a Japanese prince sent a large group of young men to China to study. Many became Buddhists. Later, they returned to Japan,. There they tried to get the Japanese to change their religion from Shintoism to Buddhism. Buddhist missionaries came to Japan from Korea. Soon Japanese rulers and warriors accepted many Buddhist ideas. Many artists and writers became Buddhist monks. |
TUESDAY HOMEWORK: ON A SHEET OF NOTEBOOK PAPER, WRITE DOWN THE WORD BELOW AND IT'S DEFINITION TO BE SUBMITTED TO ME ON WEDNESDAY. PLEASE MAKE SURE THE WORK IS NEATLY PRINTED. THANK YOU.
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